Himawari
by sportielle
Summary: To get through their mission smoothly, Chouji, Ino and Shikamaru must reminisce each of their memories of growing up in a ninja's world. Along the way, Chouji becomes closer to their client. ChouOC. Hints of ShikaIno.
1. Chapter 1

**Himawari**

Summary: Her hidden suffering was never expected to be understood by the kind she hated - by ninjas. Through Ino, Chouji and Shikamaru, the forlorn civilian chose not to hold back her future but to plant her seeds. [Team 10 centric]

Disclaimer: Too lazy so I'm only going to say this once. You are on a site called fanfiction. Hence, I obviously don't own Naruto nor does anyone else on this site. I always wonder why people put up disclaimers in the first place.

A/N: The genre is interchangeably romance/ drama/ humour/ adventure since this story will have a little bit of each. I don't like limiting myself to one genre. Plus, when I try to rewrite a non-humour story, I _always_ end up adding in something funny. So don't mind so much about the genre if you notice that I keep changing it.

Chapter 1

A monarch emerged out of the shadows to absorb the energy of the noon sun. It bathed in the warmth while perched on a saffron-coloured pedal. The sturdy sunflower as well gathered its dose of sunlight and provided company for its friend. The two enjoyed being with each other and wanted this feeling to last. But sensing humans on the way, the butterfly flew off as the lone flower was required to remain rooted in its place and could not follow after its mate.

_Crunch!_ Chouji walked through the forest with his trademark chips at hand.

"Seriously Chouji," Ino nagged, "we would have gotten there an hour ago if you didn't have to snack every two seconds!" Chouji only continued to eat away.

"Forget her," Shikamaru commented to Chouji. "Because of her complaining, we're actually two hours early. You know how Ino exaggerates the time. We're probably almost there anyways."

The trio had just received a mission. It wasn't the kind of mission that they would usually get interest in but Shikamaru and Ino used up most of their money for Chouji's food frenzy birthday and they needed money. This was a pretty easy mission for the amount of money they would get. A businessman, who was usually sought after for his money, asked Konoha for a ninja team to escort his future daughter-in-law to her wedding for a big sum of money.

Just as Shikamaru had stated, it didn't take our ninja trio long to get to their destination. Before they knew it, they sensed three little boys running towards them, each wanting to tackle the ninjas down. Chouji and Ino quickly dodged their attacks but Shikamaru imperviously didn't move from his place and, as a result, was toppled over by all three children. Ino and Chouji could barely even see Shikamaru. Only three yellow-mop heads were visible.

"We got you Onii-chan!" shouted one boy with excitement.

"I got him first!" exclaimed another little boy.

Chouji sighed as he watched Shikamaru from behind the clutter. "You could have easily avoided them, Shikamaru."

"It was too troublesome for me to move," he answered dryly as he got back to his feet impassively.

'_Idiot Shikamaru,'_ Ino rolled eyes. _'You let them tackle you.' _But a small smile had snuck into her lips.

A bush rustled with a few branches snapping under the pressure of a girl pushing her way through the leaves. A few branches had played with her long blonde hair as she struggled to untangle it out of the plant's grasp. Flustered and angry, she quickly scolded the boys and sighed while she pulled out the green remnants out of her hair.

"Boys, get back to the house, now!" she yelled furiously.

But of course, as any group of wild little brothers would, they all ran towards the young teen: one tugged her arm, another pulled down on her leg and the third climbed on her back. Oddly enough, her expression had told the ninjas that this was the norm of her life. Though she was somewhat annoyed at them, a little giggle would come out as she tried to get her brothers off of her.

"She's kind of pretty," Ino exclaimed. Shikamaru agrees with her, though he was left wondering why Ino became angry when he did. Once she whacked him on his head, it only supported his theory that girls were troublesome. Would she rather have him disagree with everything?

The strawberry blonde turned to them and asked them, "Are you the escorts?" The three of them nodded. "Okay, follow me."

It was funny how she began to walk even with her brothers still clinging on to her. Chouji helped her by grabbing, with one hand, the boy that was pulling her leg and grabbing, with the other hand, the boy on her back. He wrapped his arms around the restless beings and held the boys close to him.

Shikamaru picked up his ninja band from the ground and rubbed off the dirt. His ninja band must have been pulled off by one of the boys that had tackled him. It was a little tricky to remove the specks of dirt within the engravings, so, after a while, he just left it. Trying to tie the band back on his arm, he finally, after struggling, realized it was impossible to put on without someone's help. "Ino, can you tie this back on my arm?" he asked.

Ino ties the band when the girl noticed the encryption. "You're ninjas?" The three of them nodded.

"Oh wow!" exclaimed one of her little brothers. "Isn't that so cool, Mitsue-nee-chan?"

"Awesome."

"I wanna be a ninja! Teach me! Teach me!"

Their older sister didn't share their enthusiasm. She turned away from them and continued to walk. "Please, put the boys down," she glared at Chouji. "They can walk themselves." She pulled the two boys that Chouji had been holding from his grasp and coldly walked off. The shinobi trio followed after her, confused by her sudden change of mood.

***

Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji introduced themselves to Mitsue's mother, Mikazuki Hikari. She was very friendly to them and gave them a map to where they needed to escort Mitsue. The three brothers were all eager to listen to the different kinds of adventures a shinobi would experience. While they absorbed all they could before the ninjas had to leave the next day, their sister only continued packing a few more belongings. Then, she helped her mother with housework. Her mother would have a difficult time taking care of the three monsters once Mitsue would leave, since Mitsue's father was always away for work. The young girl knew she must do what she could before the day she left.

And that day came – only, she refused to be escorted.

"Mom, nothing will happen to me if I go by myself," Mitsue stated in the middle of arguing. "If I have escorts, then others – perhaps even my fiancée's enemies – will realize my value and then hold me captive or what not."

"Just trust them. It's their job. They will protect you if that ever happens anyway," replied Hikari with her calm, gentle voice. "If you want to complain, inform your future in-laws about this."

Mitsue sighed. "How can I even trust those ninjas?" Her eyes shifted to the side as her teeth pressed against each other. "I'll go myself. Either that or get some new escorts. I do not want them!"

Ino's anger, which had been shaken for too long, had burst under pressure. "You will come with us. We will complete this mission whether you like it or not."

"As if that was a surprise. Ninjas just want the money," retorted Mitsue. "I'd like to see you try and make me go." She turned around and headed back to her room – until she was frozen in her tracks. Her body wouldn't move under her command. "What the heck is this?"

Shikamaru exhaled as he released his hands from the 'rat' sign. "We'll be leaving now Mikazuki-sama. We've got it under control." Shikamaru walked out the door with the reluctant girl finally following his every step. Ino tailed after along with Chouji carrying Mitsue's belongings which were relatively light for him.

Mitsue looked at Shikamaru angrily, now realizing what he had done to her. "It's just like a ninja to be controlling. You don't even care about us civilians."

Naturally, this sparked Ino's anger once again but Chouji was able to calm her down.

Once Shikamaru's body became worn out from using his jutsu, Ino took over while Chouji carried her inanimate body. After her shift, it wasn't necessary for Chouji to use a jutsu just as his teammates had. Why waste chakra when you have brute strength?

"Then, why couldn't Chouji just carry the girl in the first place?" Ino complained.

Chouji's stomach grumbled. "I'm hungry."

"That's why," answered Shikamaru. They were limited on money which Shikamaru counted to be only enough for their one night stop over plus enough food for four people – not eight. And to add to that, Chouji had told him that it would probably take even longer with the pace they were going with a reluctant someone.

Ino looked up at the sun overhead that seemed to concentrate its rays on the travelers. They were going to have a very long journey with this girl.

* * *

A/N: Please comment/ criticize even if it's a tiny grammar mistake. But please don't end up editing my whole chapter in one review. That would actually be kind of embarrassing. lol. But if that does ever happen, just politely PM me. This author's note goes for the rest of my chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Himawari**

A/N: This chapter is more of a humour chapter but it's still important. I seriously just can't live without humour. XD

**Chapter 2**

Mitsue was silent now. She lay uncomfortably across Chouji's shoulder. Her body bobbed with Chouji's every step until they finally reached a small town where she was finally placed back on her feet. The girl knew that if she turned back now, it would become dark before she even reached the halfway mark back to her house.

The sun had a quarter of the sky left before it set as the four of them walked into the pretty normal town. Chouji stared at the two sturdy posts on either side of him which marked the core of the village. He smiled to himself, _'This is definitely the place.'_ They continued to walk but had to pass by a group of teenage boys.

"Man, she's hot!" whistled a perverted guy who sat and stared with his gang from the side of the road.

"You think she's taken?" his friend asked as if the ninjas were deaf.

"If she isn't, I will," said another guy, lifting his sunglasses.

Though Ino knew they were only mocking them, she was flattered. She was at least delighted that her beauty was obvious to even scumbags like them. She was rarely noticed back in Konoha. She concluded that the Leaf bachelors were so immature. They would go on with their business not even thinking that just a hint of romance would spice up any girl's life. As a result, Ino had to lower her standards to people like... those things.

Meanwhile, Chouji saw that Mitsue had gripped her fist closed before he realised what was really going on. He bit his bottom lip, wondering what would happen to Ino's ego once she noticed as well. Of course, Shikamaru knew all along but he couldn't believe that Ino would be so absorbed into their 'positive comments' so easily to not even notice. He sighed. "Ino, they're..." he started to warn her, but then someone said something they shouldn't have.

"I bet that fat dude could snatch her before you can even get her name," the hooded guy laughed at his sunglasses friend.

"..." Ino was shocked. She didn't want to think that they were referring to Chouji... But he was the first and only person she thought at the mention of 'fat dude.'

Shikamaru sighed. "Here it comes," he said as he watched Chouji marched up to the male teen.

"I can get her easy," said the dude with the shades.

"What did you just call me?" Chouji confronted the hooded guy.

"Hey there pretty lady," the guy with the sunglasses said as he hit on Mitsue.

"What? I only called you fat," said the other guy.

_SMACK!_

The both guys had both been punched in the face simultaneously, one by Chouji and the other by Mitsue. And both clearly took their anger out on them. Plus, Mitsue probably had some additional anger stored up in her that had been bottled up from earlier that day.

"I feel so stupid." Ino's sweat dropped. "So the whole time, they were only talking about _that_ girl."

"Pretty much. You're a little slow," commented Shikamaru. Seeing Ino's disappointed face, he turned her attention away from her embarrassment. "Do you think we should stop them, Ino?"

Ino perked up a little bit and giggled. "I think Chouji's about done," she said, aware of the time.

_Growl._

"Oh no," Chouji exclaimed as soon as he saw that was sun was nearing the horizon. "The buffet special is going to end soon!"

Shikamaru sighed once again leaving Ino wondering how many times he had sighed that day. "Hurry up and bring Mikazuki-san," he instructed.

Chouji wasted no time and snatched Mitsue before she could plant her fist against the flirt's face again. Mitsue pouted, knowing that she had a little bit more anger to release.

"What a violent girl," added Ino as they left two men being examined – and laughed at – by their comrades. Ino assumed that Mitsue had to learn how to fend for herself with her little brothers around. What else could she have learned to be so fierce?

But something else couldn't leave Ino's mind. Compared to when they pulled the girl away from her own family, she actually seemed angrier now.

*****

The restaurant manager stared at Chouji in awe as he gnawed his way around the giant spear rib. The man was thankful that the buffet special had ended just before Chouji came and entered the building. At least now the manager would at least receive money for all the food that had disappeared within the last ten minutes. But that didn't go so well for the people that had to pay for it.

Shikamaru heaved another sigh. It wasn't like he could do anything about it. Chouji had specifically chosen this village as the stopover just to come to this restaurant. Ino felt that she should have seen this coming once she saw Chouji's huge grin (with a bit of drool on the side) just as they walked into the town. But Chouji denied his desire to go to this restaurant. He had told them that he had merely taken the route around a steep cliff which consequently led them to this village. He was forced to choose so with Mitsue's attitude. He doubted that she would trust them to carry her down the cliff when she wouldn't even trust them to even escort her. And she obviously wouldn't be able to walk – or fall - down the cliff without hurting herself.

"Okay this is that last dish for you Chouji!" scolded Ino. "I don't want to go in debt for the wants of your stomach. At least this girl says she's not hungry so we don't have to worry about her," she said with a huge grin. Chouji's stomach was equivalent to at least three stomachs so at least without Mitsue's stomach to feed, their team's wallet was happy.

"No wonder you're fat," remarked Mitsue.

"What did you-?" Chouji's anger suddenly started to build up once again that day.

"Fatty!" Mitsue simply said.

Chouji stood up from his chair and grabbed Mitsue by the shirt with one hand. "Why you stupid-!"

_Growl._

Mitsue immediately held her stomach, annoyed that it disobeyed her orders. Chouji's fit readily waited in the air, but he couldn't bring himself to hit her. Reluctantly, he offered her food. Chouji cursed his gentle heart. He couldn't let her go hungry.

But her simple answer totally insulted Chouji. "No." He offered her food – FOOD! – of all things and she refused. But it was natural for Mitsue to refuse. She knew that often, when someone gives you something, they expect something in return. She didn't want to deal with them at all and avoided interaction when possible including accepting gifts.

A few minutes later, Chouji was about to eat his last bite and place his chopsticks in his mouth – only... that was all he tasted. Chopsticks. Not chops of pork. Chopsticks! Enraged, his eyes scanned his surroundings to find Mitsue, beside him, satisfying her hunger on his last piece of pork chops. He was in shock.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru and Ino's mouths just dropped wide open. "Uh oh," was something they wanted to say, but their mouths suffered from the shock. The one thing that was taboo besides calling Chouji fat was taking the last juicy slice of meat that he would savour and enjoy since it was always the tastiest. But this girl – this naive girl – took it from him without even a flinch.

Mitsue couldn't help herself. She was hungry. It took all of her energy to hold back while she watched Chouji enjoy the food she wouldn't eat because of her stubbornness. She held her stomach, looked away from the food, anything that would silence her hunger. But, her hunger managed to escape by squeezing through a tiny hole in her self-discipline.

Once Chouji moved even just one of his muscles, Shikamaru and Ino immediately intervened. Ino pulled Mitsue off her chair away from Chouji while Shikamaru had to use his shadow jutsu for the second time that day. Chouji only calmed down once Mitsue's stomach growled again and realised how pitiful she was. He tried to deny that he could relate to Mitsue's hunger, but his compassionate heart stopped him once again.

"We'll buy you one more dish Chouji," Ino stated once everything had calmed down. "And that's it!"

Once again, a growl was heard from Mitsue's stomach. She had completely surrendered to her hunger and gave them a face that pleaded for food.

Shikamaru gave in. "Order as much as you want," he told Mitsue.

But, even before five minutes were up, Shikamaru wanted to eat his words. Both Mitsue and Chouji were happily eating their food whereas Shikamaru and Ino were quite the opposite. Mitsue was a bottomless container of food – almost as bad as Chouji. She would gobble up food and it looked like it didn't make her stomach any less hungry. And because Chouji was forced to watch Mitsue enjoying her meal, he pleaded for more food and Ino had to negate her restriction on him.

"Could we have more, please?" the two meat eaters said in unison as they held out their bowls towards the two ninjas.

'_Could we leave, please?'_ the two wallets whined at the same time as they let their heads fall on the table.

* * *

A/N: Bleh... nothing really happened much in the first couple of chapters. Sometimes I wonder if I should still continue this story when Hidden Candles is better. But then again, I already planned other ideas for the later chapters and they're pretty good. Anyway, please review/ correct/ criticise. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Himawari**

**Chapter 3**

"Here's the money." Ino placed some coins on the front desk of the hotel. It was only enough for two rooms. Before the four of them had left the Mikazuki house, Mitsue's mother handed Ino money for their overnight sleep. Good thing too. If she had given it to Shikamaru, Chouji would find out about the extra money and plead to Shikamaru to use it for even more food. And if Chouji had received the money, then... they would be doomed to sleep in the cold since none of them brought any camping gear.

Of course, Chouji and Shikamaru would room together which left Ino with the complainer. And after a while, Ino couldn't stand her, not because she was complaining about ninjas again, but because she was complaining that she was bored. Ino quickly grew bored as well after she decorated the room with a few flowers. Ino went to relieve some of that boredom in the boys' room and left Mitsue by herself.

Mitsue didn't mind being alone at all. She rarely got any quiet time at home. Every silence moment was a blessing to her.

She immersed herself in her thoughts. Her youth was being rushed forward. She didn't know what to make of it. She was stuck in the middle. Mitsue had always longed for adventure and her marriage was really a big step. Undeniably, she was worried but change always makes a person anxious.

With marriage, there were so many possibilities. Having children at such a young age actually kind of excited her. To be able to contribute to the next generation was something so outstanding to her. Being a mother, she would directly be able to nurture a life and watch it grow through both its mistakes and successes. Just thinking about it thrilled her.

All but one of her feelings agreed to the wedding. She brushed it aside and silenced it since it wouldn't do any good. But this raw, sensitive feeling had only worsened with this arranged marriage.

Thinking that Mitsue would be bored, Chouji had entered her room. He was entitled to keep his team's customer happy though his comrades didn't really care.

"You bored?" Chouji asked. Mitsue only shrugged. "I have some darts for that dart board over there." He pointed to the wall to the right of the far bed.

Chouji started playing while Mitsue just sat on her bed. But the more that Chouji played the more Mitsue wanted to join – because Chouji sucked! Every time a dart had struck the wall, Mitsue's annoyance level increased. She eventually tried to see if she could show up this ninja, but failed as well.

Chouji chuckled. "You're just as bad as me." Mitsue tried again. And again. And again! Chouji laughed a little harder each time she completely missed the board.

Finally Mitsue got a dart to stick the board. She shoved a dart in Chouji's hand. "Beat that!"

So, Chouji prepared himself. He rolled up his sleeves and in slow motion, began to throw the dart as if he was about to throw a fast ball.

"What the heck are you doing?"

Chouji stopped with his arm hanging above his head. "I was trying to exaggerate it." Mitsue looked blankly at him. "You know... to be funny..." She still wasn't convinced. "Okay I'll do it now," Chouji finally said.

He threw the dart hard into the board. The dart landed miraculously in the middle. But just as Chouji was about to celebrate, the dart fell out of place and onto the floor.

Mitsue laughed her head off. She couldn't say anything. Lying on the bed, she held her stomach from laughing too much.

Chouji smiled. He was finally getting a response out of Mitsue – even if she was snorting by now, which kind of make Chouji wish he didn't get a response from her.

The two continued to play. They shared laughter, became closer to each other, created holes in the wall... – the usual.

After a while, Mitsue figured out an easier way to throw the darts. Instead holding the dart normally, she held it between her index and middle finger. Chouji wondered if she knew that she was holding it like a kunai. When she threw it, both she and Chouji were astonished that she threw it dead center of the board. Chouji tried it as well but –

_Crash!_

"What was that?!" yelled Ino from the boys' room.

Chouji and Mitsue looked at each other. "Nothing!" they yelled in response. They couldn't let Ino find out about her flower vase. They both decided that it was probably time for them to go to sleep.

As Chouji left the room, he sat just outside the girls' door. Mitsue was actually fun to be with. He thought that he would have to force himself to entertain Mitsue as her escort. But the whole time was just filled with fun and laughter. He wished that he could have stayed longer but he knew that he was getting sleepy.

Mitsue was also happy. She lay on her bed holding the stuffed cat in front of her and giggling. No boy had ever made a fool of himself just to make her laugh. Of course, she never actually laughed until he really messed up but she was so grateful to him.

"You know," Mitsue grinned, "I actually have never met a guy who would make a fool of himself just to cheer me up."

Chouji laughed nervously. He couldn't tell whether she said that to compliment him or to mock him. But she had a good time and that's what made him happy.

"You're a really nice guy, Chouji. My father would never make a fool of himself in front of me." Mitsue continued to smile, though this one didn't contain much joy. "Not like he cared. He just wanted me to get married. That's probably all that I can do anyway."

The ninja read behind the creases of the girl's smile. He knew that she was lying to herself the whole time. Lying about her self-worth.

"_Haruna"_

"_Kobi"_

_Chouji had patiently waited as each kid left his side one by one. He had hoped that day would be different but he had known in his heart that it would have been the the two captains had been choosing their team members, there had been a silent agreement that Chouji would undoubtedly have been chosen last._

_In their eyes, he was useless. He was big and awkward and slow, hence, he became a burden on whichever team he was on. But when he had finally thought he had found the answer to this setback, he had still been disappointed._

_Chouji had finally learned their clan's renowned jutsu. And like any proud child, he had showed off his new jutsu at school. He had hoped then that the kids would have stopped choosing him last. He wasn't going to be the slow, fat kid anymore. But to his surprise, the children had laughed at his silly jutsu. Unfortunately, he had finally gotten the attention he wanted from others._

_He was confused. He didn't know which was worse: being worthless in other's eyes or being called a bulldozer. He had figured that being a bulldozer was all he could do anyway._

"_Well, I'm just a house wife anyway," his mother had said after she had heard about Chouji's school life. "All I can do is just clean the house and cook food."_

_Chouji was shocked. "Mom, you're not just a house wife, though you are a really good cook. But you're my mother too. And you were a great ninja. You went through so many cool adventures that you told me about!"_

"_Well, if I'm not just a house wife, then you're not just a bulldozer." She had patted Chouji's head. "You are a kind young boy and a very talented one too."_

_Chouji smiled because he had seen the sincerity in his mother's eyes._

"_Remember this Chouji..."_

"...People are not one dimensional, Mitsue." Chouji smiled kindheartedly.

He left Mitsue to ponder on his mother's words.

Mitsue wasn't just a wife-to-be. She was more than that.

* * *

(Silly) A/N: Chouji had told his mother about the ways the other kids bullied him. He told her that they literally rolled him in the snow to make him the base of a snowman when there wasn't that much snow to make a big enough snow ball. His mother joked that she should have thought of doing that to her husband when they were younger.

I would have mentioned this in the flashback but that would have ruined the mood. And I couldn't let this funny idea go to waste hence it's in my author's note section.

Review/ correct/ criticise please :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Himawari**

A/N: I apologize for not writing for a while. I hope that this story won't end up like one of my unfinished stories. Anyway, enjoy. :)

**Chapter 4**

On and off showers characterized Mitue's early morning trip with clouds prepared to sprinkle droplets on her head. She barely noticed since she only looked forward towards the sun. Taking in a generous amount of clean air, Mitsue believed that it would help her grow tall and strong as her mother taught her.

Exploring the town during this quiet morning, her legs travelled a good distance away from the hotel. A gentle old man greeted her as she passed by watching him garden a few flowers at a small park. The collage of the greens with various highlights from blue to red compelled her eyes to acknowledge them. But the colour that stood out the most was the yellow in the soft petals as she told him. The gardener chuckled when an amber-winged butterfly seemed to be attracted to the saffron flower as well.

Looking past the garden, she walked to lean against a tree trunk to see that the garden was on a hill and a playground could seen below. The old man waved good-bye to her as she stared at the swings and sand box recollecting memories.

* * *

A relentless sequence of knocks on the door finally got Shikamaru up and out of his bed. Walking to turn the knob, he wavered with his eyes barely opened. He awoke once he heard Ino's words.

"Mitsue's gone."

"Where the heck could she be?" Shikamaru, annoyed, rushed to check out their rooms. "If she went back home..."

Flustered, Ino and Shikamaru marched out of the hotel but suddenly realizing that they didn't know where to start searching. Chouji was uncomfortable with this agitated mood his friends were in but hoping that Mitsue was not kidnapped.

While Ino and Shikamaru tried to figure out where to go, Chouji stepped out ahead of the two and paused. He suddenly darted towards the east. Bewildered, Ino and Shikamaru chased after him.

"Chouji, where are you going?" yelled out Ino. Chouji didn't answer until Shikamaru took a hold of him.

"I smelled something," he said blankly. By now a few sprinkles showered their hair.

"This isn't time for food, Chouji!" Ino scolded him. But Chouji had begun to run again.

Shikamaru, sensing her frustration, told her, "It's not food, Ino." He knew he had to rely on Chouji, to rely on his intuition. He hoped that Ino would realize that Chouji was not only about food. There was something more important to him.

* * *

"Get out of here. Annoying little girl. You're just another pest." A boy had thrown the girl to the ground. His friends laughed. Shaking, she couldn't dare to look into the teen's eyes. She backed away to the edge of the sand box when the boy further diminished her spirit. "Such a weak little girl. Ninjas beat on others to gain power. That's how it works around here in the world of shinobi."

The girl touched her knee and noticed it was bleeding from the impact. But it wasn't only blood that covered parts of her body. Dirt was smeared on both of her legs. Sand hid the scrape on her elbow. This girl, turned filthy and dirty, started to cry.

Mitsue's lip trembled as her eyes watched the scene unfold. Those same eyes watered as she saw the young girl's brother take a stand.

"Don't you dare talk like that to my sister!"

_Thwack._

Her brother's eye pulsed from the impact. A cut above his eyebrow began to drip blood. But he still stood, and protected his younger sibling.

Mitsue's body pulsed from the sight of the brother's love. The love that sacrifices. The love that hurts.

"Onii-chan!" the girl cried when she saw the group of boys approach her brother. He took several more of their punches but still stood.

Shaking, Mitsue's memories flooded back. Clutching her face with her hands, she didn't want to see her brother take the punishment of a weak little girl again.

"You should run now," her brother told her.

Mitsue had run. And never looked back – until now. The regret ate at her soul bit by bit.

"No," the young girl was firm with her answer.

A punch to the stomach was felt by Mitsue. Regret had gnawed a chunk off. Why didn't Mitsue done the same? Why didn't she stand up?

"I guess you want a beating as well, little girl."

Closing her eyes, Mitsue braced for the impact on the girl. But Shikamaru had stepped in and held the punch from the girl.

"Ninjas protect others even at the cost of their own lives," he told him. "It's their duty. That's how it works in the world of shinobi."

He patted the courageous brother on the head as Ino tended his cuts and bruises. Chouji had found Mitsue curled up against the trunk and held her in his arms.

'Ninjas' and 'protection' were never related to each other according to Mitsue. Her brother had died from ninjas. Like the bully, Mitsue's definition of a ninja had been perverted. But all in all, she avoided the fact that she had run away. She had surrendered to her fear. But right now she couldn't escape from that fact – that she was a coward.

"It's okay to be scared," Chouji consoled her. Still in his arms, Mitsue eased up realizing the one who terrorized her and the one who comforted her were not the same being.

Choji explained Mitsue's story to Ino and Shikamaru – that her father was killed by ninjas and that her brother was killed the same way in front of her eyes in protecting her. Shikamaru never really liked Mitsue but now understood why she was resentful towards them although it was her fault to classify all ninjas as the same.

But one sentence came back to haunt Ino. 'It's just like a ninja to be controlling.' It didn't affect her much when Mitsue said that before, but now she realised the hurt behind that sentence. Ino saw that she wasn't the only victim from ninjas abusing their power.

***

"I love you, Ino."

"Too bad. I love Sasuke."

"But I still love you best," the little boy hugged Ino tightly.

"Ow. Stop," Ino tried to squirm her way out. "Sasuke's going to see." Kanubu Hiro just laughed. He obviously didn't want to let go of Ino.

"Wait..." Hiro looked at Ino. "What's going on?" Ino asked as she pointed across the road from the Academy.

A mob of people walked on the road. Hiro's father shamefully was in the front along with Ino's father leading him towards the Hokage's. Ino felt the anger of her father that day. His anger was indescribable. Ino didn't understand what was happening then.

Little Hiro was gone.

She was naive then. The first day he didn't come to school, she focused all of her attention and energy on Sasuke, not bothering to check up on Hiro. But then, he didn't come the next day or the day after. A week had passed and only then, she had finally begun to worry.

"Dad, where's Hiro?" She hoped he knew since he was close with Kanubu-otosan. But the look on his face told her something else. Once again, she could feel his anger and disappointment.

Ino later found out what had happened through Shikamaru. During their spy mission, her dad thought it was rather suspicious that Hiro's father seemed very familiar with the Lightning Country. He mentioned this to Shikaku. So one day, the two of them knocked Kanubu unconscious so that Inoichi could investigate his mind. But instead, he discovered that he was not at all a spy for the Cloud Village, but he was a spy for the Sand over ten years ago.

Inoichi couldn't stand that fact that one of his comrades had deceived him for ten years. Once he found more evidence, he informed the Hokage to confront him. But because Kanubu had stayed loyal to the Leaf by remaining for ten years, the Hokage forgave him even when Ino's father didn't. Inoichi was reckless and too proud to let Hiro's father get away with deceiving him. As a result, somehow, he forced the Kanubus to leave Konoha and that was all Ino knew.

Ino wondered once in a while how things would have turned out if Hiro was still with them. She wondered what jutsus he had learned, which team he would have been on. Whenever she wondered, in the end, she always blamed her father for abusing his power. Things would have stayed the same if he didn't act on his suspicion. There are some things better left to be unknown because there's always someone who doesn't know how to handle the information.

Now, Ino doesn't know if she wanted to inherit that jutsu. She doesn't know if she'll be corrupted by its power. But she knows her family, comrades, and the village would be proud of her and that same power could protect them. She can only hope that when she does learn the jutsu that she won't abuse it.

* * *

A/N: Please review/ comment/ criticise. :D


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